Machine for building tunnels and the like



Jam. E@ 1923.,

M R SHEENy MACHINE FDR Bul LOING TuNNx-:Ls AND THE LIKE. D DEQ, 24, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l Fl LE Q ME Y l@ @a s ma A w n .N .www

Jan. 16, 3923. LMZJM M. R. SHEEN.

lMAcHl NE FOR Bul LDING TuNNELs AND THE l. KE.

Fl LED DEC.. 24, '1920,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Inventor l, Mtonoy Sheen Ian. 16, 1923.

M. R. SHEEN.

MACHINE FOR BUILDING TuNNELs AND THE I lKE.

I FILED Dec. 24, 1920y 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 Inventor.'

Patented Jan., 1&3, 1923.

raiser..

MILTON ROY SHEEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 TUNNEL MACHINE MANUFACTURING ANI) ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF

PHILADEL- IDI-IIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MACHINE FOR BUILDING TUNNELS AND THE LIKE.

Application file December 24, 1920. Serial No. 432,980.

the like. My invention also relates to further improvements in a machine for building sewers for which Letters Patent of thc United States, No. 1,351,137 were issued to `me on the 31st day of August, 1920.

The present invention comprises a machine having a casing, within which a structure is formed of bricks, or building blocks. The machine also includes a rotary cam mounted within the casing for forcing the blocks into place in the structure and for forcing the casing forward through the eX- cavation made by a cut-ting head.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel form of rotary cam and bearings for mounting the cam within the casing; a further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of anti-friction members between thecam and the structure` comprising plunger blocksl slid ably mounted upon the casing and actuated by the cam, for relieving the friction between the face of the structure and the cam; a still further object is to provide a bearing ring formed of sections pivotally connected together and positioned between the cam and the annular bearing liange secured to the casing; a still l'urther object is to' provide `the plunger blocks with wheels and rollers arranged in a novel manner in relation to the cam; a still further object is to provide longitudinal guides upon the casing, between which the plunger' blocks are slidably mounted; a still furtherobject is to provide a loosely mounted dog or scraper upon the plunger block adapted to rest upon the casing and remove any dirt which may lodge between the plunger block and the casing, and a still further object of my invention is to provide the plunger blocks with two separate end faces, in stepped formation, for pressing against a structure which may be formed of two courses of blocks forming an outer cylinder and a lining. These, together with various novel features of construction and arrangement of the parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed, constitute my invention.

Referring to the acconunanying7 drawings; Fig. l, is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of my improved machine; Fig. 2, is a transverse section, as on line 2 2 Fig. 1'; Fig. 8, is a longitudinal section as on line 3 3 Fig. 2, showing a partial view of the casing and the guides secured thereto, and drawn on a larger scale; Fig. 4, is an end view of Fig'. 3; Fig. 5, is a side elevation of a plunger block, showing a portion of the casing and the cam in dotted lines, and

drawn on a larger scale; Fig. 6, is a transverse section on line 6 6` Fig. 5; Fig. 7, is a transverse section on line 7 7 Fig. 5; Fig. 8, is a transverse section on line 8 8 Fig. 5 Fig. 9, is a transverse section on line 9 9 Fig. 5; Fig. 10, is a perspective view of the scraper, or dog, detached from the plunger block; Fig. 11, is a face view of a portion of the bearing ring drawn on a largerscale; and Fig. 12, is an inverted plan view of Fig. 11.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts, 1 represents the cylindrical casing having at the forward end a cutting head 2, cai ried by a central shaft 3, mounted in the bearing 4, secured to the casing. The cutting head 2 is rotated by braces 5, secured to a ring-gear 6, rotatably mounted in a bearing collar 8` which is secured to the casing 1. The ring-gear G is rotated by a pinion 7, driven by a motor 9 mounted upon the bearing 4.

The excavation is made through the ground, the proper diameter for the pas sage ofthe casing 1,by the cutter head 2. rlhe sewer or tunnel structure is formed at the rear end of the casing 1 and consists of blocks or bricks 12 which are laid successively to form a cylindrical structure 13 consisting of an outer course 14 and an inner course or lining 15.

A cam cylinder 16, havinga spiral cam face 17 is provided within the casing 1. The cam face 17, presses against the plunger blocks 18, forming the anti friction meinbers, which in turn press against the bricks 12 and force them into place in the structure 13 as the cani cylinder 16 rotates. The cam 17, thus pressing against `the plunger blocks 18, 'which are positioned against the forward face of the structure, forces the casing 1 forward as the structure 13 is formed by the successive laying of the blocks 12 in the cylindrical structure, which latter is also formed with a Spiral forward face corresponding to the spiral face 17 of the cam cylinder 16.

A bearing flange 2O is rigidly secured in the casing, and is provided with a cylindrical surface forming a track 21, and also an annular face forming a thrust bearing surface 22. The cam cylinder 16 revolves within the casing l upon the concentric track 21, and it is held against longitudinal movement in relation to the casing bythe said lannular bearing surface`22 of the bearing flange 20.

A bearing ring having loosely mounted rollers 26 and 27 thereon, 'is interposed between the bearing faces 21 and 22 of the bea-ring flange and the cam cylinder 16 to reduce the friction between the latter and the bearing flange 20. The rollers 27 are mounted upon shafts 28, shown in Figs. 11 and '12. Said shafts 28 are secured in the hearing ring 25, which shafts 28V are positioned radially on lines extending from the center of the bearing ring. The rollers 26 are mounted upon shafts 29 secured in the bearing ring 25, which extend parallel with the axis of rotation of the bearing ring 25.

The cam cylinder 16 is provided with a cylindrical bearing surface 30, which rotates upon the rollers 26 of the bearing ring 25, and said cam cylinder 16 is also provided with an annular rib 32 having a facing surface 33 which bears upon the rollers 27 of the bearing ring 25.

The bearing ring is made in sections 31, pivotally connected by pins or bolts 85, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. Each section of the ring 25 is provided at one end with .a tongue and at its opposite end with a slot formed between the cheek pieces 87 and 38. The tongue 36 of one section fits loosely7 into the slot formed between the cheek pieces of the next adjoining section of the 4ring and the sections are pivotally connected by the bolts 35, thus giving sufficient flex ibility to the ring to insure all the rollers 26 riding upon the cylindrical track 21 of the bearing fla-nge 20 and relieving the ring 2F of circumferential strain due to any irregularity in the alignment between the cam cylinder' vbearing surface 80 and the cylindrical track 21 of the bearing flange 20.

The bearing flange 2O is provided with a shield 39, covering the lower portion thereof, for preventing the dust and dirt, from the cutting head 2, from entering the space occupied by the bearing ring 25.

rlhe cam cylinder 16 is preferably made with a separate ring section 40 rigidly secured to the cain cylinder by the bolts 4-1, as shown in Fig. 1. This construction fa cilitates in the manufacture of the sections forming the cam cylinder. The section f1() carries the bearing faces 30 and 33 above mentioned and has the gear wheel 13 formed thereon which is engaged by a pinion for rotating the cam cylinder 16.

rIhe pinion 4:5 is rotated by a motor 46 through the medium of the gear wheels 47 and 48. rEhe latter is secured upon a shaft 19 having a worm 50 thereon, which latter drives the worm-wheel 51, secured on the shaft 52, on which the pinion 45 is secured.

The shaft 52 carrying the pinion 15 is rotatably mounted in the bearings formed on thehousing 541- for the worm-wheel 51, and the housing 54 is rigidly secured upon a flange, or` bracket 55, projecting from the bearing flange 2O.`

The cam cylinder 16 is provided with an enlarged annular flange located upon the rear end of said cylinder, one face of said4 flange forms the cam 17, which exerts pressure against the brick structure 18 through the medium of the plunger blocks 18, in terposed between the cani 17 and the structure 13 to reduce the friction due to the rotation of the cam cylinder.

The cam 17 is provided with a low place 61, as shown in Fig. 1. Said low place 61 in the cam is provided for the purpose of forming an open space 62 Vbetween the plunger blocks 18 and the structure for the insertion of the bricksy 12, as the building' of the structure progresses.-

The flange 60 on cam cylinder 16 also has a camL face 641 formed on the forward face thereof for engaging and withdrawing the plunger blocks 18, throughout the said low place 61 of the cam 17. r1`he cam face 61 on said flange 60 extends spirally and in a line parallel with the face of the. cam 17, upon the rear face of said flange. The periphery of the flange 60 forms a cylin drical bearing surface 65, which is concentric with the cani cylinder 16 and forms a means for supporting the rear end of the cani cylinder which rides upon rollers 66, loosely mounted in the plunger blocks 18, which in turn rest upon the inner cylindrical. surface of the casing 1.

The plunger blocks 18 are free longitudinally, upon the casing 1, between guide strips 68 secured to the casing 1. Said guide strips 68 are provided with rollers 69 and 70 which are of greater diameter than the width of a guide strip 68 upon which the rollers are loosely pivoted. The plunger blocks 18 are positioned between t-he rollers to slide vrear ends with of adjacent guide strips 68. The rollers separate adjacent plunger blocks and also reduce the friction due to the sliding movement of the plunger blocks between .the guide strips. j y

The plunger blocks 18 are moved longitudinally by the two spiral cam faces 17 and 6l formed upon the opposite sides of the flange on the cam cylinder 16.

The plunger blocks 18 each carry `wheels 72 and 73 loosely mounted upon radial axes. Said wheels 72 and 7 3 are positioned so that the flange 60 or" the'ca-m cylinder will occupy the space between them and either the cam face 17 or the cam face 64 will engage one of said wheels and move the plunger block '18 longitudinally as the cam cylinder rotates. The enlarged views, Figs. 5 to 9, show the construction of the plunger blocks 18. The base portion 7 5 is providedY with facing surfaces 7 6, which slide upon the inner surface of the casing 1, and parallel side faces 77, which are adapted to ride upon the guide rollers 69 and 70. Upon the base 75 is loosely mounted the roller G6 which is interposed between the base 7 5 and the peripheral face ('35 of the flange 60. A bracket 79 is detach ably secured upon the base and forms a bearing for the shaft carrying the wheel 7 3 which is engaged by the forward face @ll of the flange 60. A housing 8O is formed upon the base 7 5 and encloses the wheel 72. Said wheel 72 is mounted upon a shaft 83 secured in the base. 75 and in the top member Selof the housing.

The top Sfr ofthe housing is of sufficient length to extend over the end of the cam cylinder 16 and project into the interior of the cam cylinder a sufficient distance to form a shield for preventing dirt *from falling into ythe .space occupied by the wheel 72. The housing 8O is provided with side members Sb which add strength to the rear end 87 of the plunger block, whichllatter is subjected to the pressure exerted by the cam face 17 upon the wheel 72, as the cam cylinder rotates, which pressure is comn'xunicated through the rear end of the plunger blocks 18 against the structure 13 with sufficient .force to move the machine forward. The plunger blocks 18 are provided at their stepped faces 87 and 88, which areeach approximately the dimensions of the end of one of the bricks 12 of the inner or outer courses 14 or 15 of the structure. By this construction the double face end of the plunger block'is adapted for a structure formed of a double course of bricks 14 and 15.

rlhe plunger blocks 18 are provided with a scraper 90 shown detached in Fig. 1G. The base 75 is provided with a recess `91, shown in Fig. 9, into which loosely lits the scraper' 90. T he scraper is formed with a curved surface 92, which corresponds with the inner cylindrical surface of the casing 1, against which the scraperI 90 rests. As the plunger block 18 moves away from the brick structure 13 the circular bosses 93, at either end of the scraper 90, roll and tend to raise the scraping edge 92 and thus allow it to pass over any dirt resting upon the bottom of the casing. T he reverse movement of 'the plunger block 1S will cause the scraping edge 92 to push the dirt rearwardly and thus prevent an accumulation of dirt which would otherwise lodge under the plunger block. Only the plunger blocks located at the bottom of the casing 1 are provided with the Scrapers 90, as the latter are unnecessary at the top of the casing.

Having thus described my invention, claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A machine for building tunnels and the like, having in combination, a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within the casing, anti friction members positioned between the face of the cam and a structure to be fornred within the casing, a plurality of pressure faces formed upon the anti friction members, said pressure faces coustructed to overlap two adjacent courses ot' bricks forming the structure, and said pressure faces positioned in alignment with different courses of bricks forming the structure.

2. A vmachine for building tunnels and the like, having in combination, cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within the casing, anti friction members positioned lbetween the face of the cam and a structure to be formed within the casing, and a plurahty of pressure faces formed upon the anti friction members arranged in stepped formation ada it d to exert nessure against different courses 'of bricks forming the structure.

3. Av machine for building tunnels and the like, having in combination a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably inlounted within the casing adapted to'exert pressure against a structure to be formed within the casing` a bearing flange secured within the casing a bearing ring interposed between the bearing` ile-.nge and the cam, anti-friction rollers upon the bearing ring, and said bearing ring composed of yielding sections adapted to allow the said rollers to conform with the surface of the bearing Jflange.

1. A machine for building tunnels and the like, having in combination a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within the casing adapted to exert pressure against aV structure to be formed within the casibearing flange secured within the. casing. bearing ring interposed `between the bearing flange and the cam, anti-friction rollers upon the bea-ring ring, and said bearing ring coinposed of segments pivotally connected together.

" longitudinally oi 5. A machine for buildingtunnels and `the like, having in combination, a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within the casing adapted to exert pressure against a structure to be iormed within the casing,y a cam cyliniler upon which said cam is il'ormed, a ring-,gear by which the cam cylinder is rotated, a ring; upon which the ring-gear is formed, said ring` made in a separate piece from the cam cylinder, and fastening devices for rigidly securing the said ringl -to the cam cylinder.

6. machine for building; tunnels and the like, having in combination, a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within the casing adapted to exert pressure against a structure to be formed within the casing, a cam cylinder upon which said Vcam is formed, a bearing` flange secured to the casing upon which the cam cylinder rotates, a ring-gear secured upon the cam cylinder by which 'the latter is rotated, a shield secured ujJon"lhe bearing flange and said shield having' a portion thereof projectingl rearwardly into the cam cylinder for covering a pol tion ot' the ring-gear.

7. lli machine iior buildingY tunnels und the like, having' in combination, a cylindri cal casing', a cam rotatably mounted within the casing, anti-friction members slidably mounted upon the casing adjacent to the face ol the cam and adapted to be moved C the casing` by the cam, and said anti-friction members consisting of independent units disconnected from `each other. j

8. A machine for building,` tunnels and the like, having in combination, a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within the casing; and anti-'friction members slidably mounted on thel casing,- adjacent to the cam and adapted to be moved by the cam longitudinally in relation to the casing.A

9. A. machine for building tunnels and the like, having` in combination, a .cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within the casing, guides secured in a lined position iu relation to the casing' and extending' approximately parallel with the length of the casing` and anti-friction membersl mounted upon the guides adjacent to the cam and adapted to be moved upon t-he guides by the cam.

10. A machine for building tunnels and the like, having in combination, a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within the casing, anti-iriction members positioned adjacent to the cam and movable by the cam in a line approximately parallel with the axis of rotation of the cam, and rollers positioned between the anti-friction members to form guides for the latter.

1l. A machine for building tunnels and the like, having in combination, a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within cal casing',

the casing, anti-friction membersl posi- `tioned adjacent to lthe cam, said members comprising separate plunger blocks adapted to be ene-aged by the-cam, and guides upon cal casing, a .cam rotatably mounted within the casing, anti-friction members com` Vprising` sepa-rate plunger blocks, lguide-bars secured in parallel relation to each other upon the inner surface of the casing', guide rollers loosely mounted uponv said ,guide bars for guiding` the plunger `blocks in a line approximately parallel with the length of' the easing, and means upon the `j )lunger blocks adapted tobe engaged by the cam i'or moving# the plunger blocks upon the guide rollers.

13. A machine for buildingtunnels and the like, having in combination a cylindrical casing, a cam `rotatably mounted concentrically within the casing, antiiriction inembers comprising' separate plunger blocks arranged in a circle,` said blocks `interposed between the cam and the casing, and means upon the plunger blocks adapted to be engaged by the cam for moving` the plunger blocks longitudinally in rela-tion to the casing. i

lll.` A machine for building tunnels and the like, having' in combination cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted con# centrically within the casing, antifriction members comprising separate plunger blocks arranged `ina circle and interposed between the cam and the casing, a presser tace formed upon the `end of each plunger block extending; beyond the end of the cam, guides upon which the plunger blocks are movable in a line parallel with the axis of the cam, and means whereby'a sliding movement is imparted to the plunger blocks by the cam.

l5. A machine for building; tunnels and the like having in combination a cylindii a cam rotatably mounted within the casing', a. spiral face upon said cam, anti-friction members in the form of plunger blocks positioned between the 'said spiral face of the cam and a structure to be formed within theV casing, a wheel loosely mounted upon the plunger block positioned between the face of the cam and the Vsaid structure, said -wheel adapted to be engaged by the said spiral face of the camto press the plunger block against the structure, and guides upon which the plunger blocks are slidably mounted.

16. A machine for building' tunnels and the like having in combination a cylindrical casing, a cam cylinder rotatably mounted within the casing, an annular flange formed upon the cam cylinder, spiral cam surfaces formed upon the forward and rea-r sides of the saidflange and extending parallel with each other, plunger blocks, rollers upon the plunger block positioned adjacent to the spiral cam faces on opposite sides of the said flange, and guides upon the casing in which the plunger blocks are movable by the said spiral cam surfaces of the flange.

17. A machine for building tunnels, and the like, having in combination, a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounted within the casing, anti-friction nlembe-rs in the form of plunger blocks positioned between the spiral face of the cam and the structure to be formed within the casing, an extension base. on the plunger block adapted to occupy the annular space between the cam cylinder and the casing, ,guides upon the casing in which the plunger blocks are slidably mounted and a roller mounted between the plunger blocks and the cylindrical surface of the cam cylinder upon which the latter is free to rotate.

18. A machine for building tunnels and the like having in combination a cylindrical casing, a cam cylinder rotatably mounted within the casing, an annular flange formed upon the outside of the cam cylinder, said flange forming a spiral cam, plunger blocks having base portions extending between the casing and the said annular flange, wheels loosely mounted upon the base portion of the plunger blocks, and said wheels positioned at opposit-e sides of the said flange on the cam cylinder for moving the plunger blocks in a line parallel with the length of the casing.

19. A machine for buildingtunnels and the like having in combination a cylindrical casing, a cam cylinder rotatably mounted within the casing, an annular flange formed upon the cam cylinder. said flange forming a spiral cam, plunger blocks slidably mounted in guides upon the casing, a wheel positioned on the plunger block between said flange and a structure to be formed within the casing and said wheel adapted to be engaged by the said flange to force the plunger block against said structure, a bracket detachably secured to the plunger block, and a wheel mounted upon the bracket adapted to be engaged by the opposite side of said flange to withdraw the plunger block from the said structure.

20. A machine for building tunnels, and the like, having in combination, a cylindrical casing, a cam cylinder, a spiral cam surface formed upon the rear end of the cam cylinder, plunger blocks comprising a base portion extending between the cam cylinder and the casing, a housing on said base, a wheel within the housing adapted to be engaged by the said cam face formed uponthe rear end of the cylinder, a shaft carrying said wheel, bearings formed in said base and said housing for said shaft, and i solid end face formed upon the plunger block by said housing for pressing against a structure to be formed within the casing.

2l. A machine for building tunnels, and the like, having in combination, a cylindrical casing, a cam cylinder, a spiral cam surface formed upon the rear end of the cam cylinder, plunger blocks comprising a base portion extending between the cam cylinder and the casing, a housing on said base, a wheel within the housing adapted to be engaged by the said cam face formed upon the rear end of the cylinder, and an extension on said housing projecting into the interior of the cam cylinder and forming a protecting cover for said wheel.

22. A machine for building tunnels, and the like, having in combination' a cylindrical casing, a cam cylinder, a spiral cani upon the latter, plunger blocks positioned adjacent to the said cam adapted to be moved longitudinally of the casing by said cam, guides secured within the casing, said plunger blocks each having a base adapted -to slide between said guides, a housing on said base of greater width than the base adapted to extend over the said guides on the casing and adjacent to the side walls of the next adjacent plunger blocks and a presser face formed upn the end of each plunger block adapted to take against a structure to be formed within the casing.

A machine for building tunnels, and the like, having in combination a cylindrical casing, a cam cylinder, a spiral cam upon the latter, plunger blocks adapted to be moved longitudinally of the casing by the cam, said plunger blocks each having a base, a housing formed upon the base, a shaft, said housing forming bearings in which the shaft is mounted, awbeel on said shaft adapted to be engaged by the cam formed upon the rear face of the cam cylinder and a double faced end formed on the plunger block forming pressure faces in stepped formation adapted to exert pressure upon the courses of bricks of a structure as it is formed within the casing.

24. A machine for building tunnels, and the like, having in combination a cylindrical casing, a. cam rotatably mounted within the casing, plunger blocks mounted within the casing between the cani and a structure to be formed within the easing and adapted to be moved longitudinally of the casing by said cam, a member mounted upon the plunger block adjacent to the surface of the casing forming a scraper, and means for forcing they scraper against the casing to reine-ve the dirt from under the plunger block when the latter is moved towards the structure.

25. A lnachine for building tunnels, and the like, having in combination a cylindrical casing, a cam rotatably mounteil Within the casing, plunger blocks positioned adjacent to the said cam, said plunger blocks slidably mounted Within the casing and actuated by said cam, said plunger block having a recess formed in the face thereof adjacent to the surface of the casing` upon which the plunger block slides, a device loosely mounted Within the said recess formed in the plunger block, said device having a scraper edge formed thereon adapted to restv upon the casing when the plunger block is moved rearwardly and circula-r end members on said device adapted to litt the scraper edge of said device from the surface of the casing When the plunger block is moved in the opposite direction.

26. A machine lor building tunnels, and the like, having in combination a cylindrical casing, a cam cylinder rotatably mounted within the casing, a spiral flange formed upon the cam` cylinder and having a low place formed therein, said spiral Harige having a cylindrical periphery, a. series of plunger blocks positioned around the annular space formed between the'cani Vcylinder andthe easing, a roller upon each plunger block rotatable upon an axis extending parallel With the axis of the carri Acylinder adapted toy be engaged by the cylindrical periphery of the said flange, a Wheel rotatably mounted upon each plunger block upon an axis extending radially in relation to the cam cylinder adapted to be engaged by the rear spiral face of said lange for forcing the plunger blocks against a structure to he formed Within the casing, a second wheel rotatably mounted upon each plunger block upon an axis extending radially in relation. to the cam cylinder and adapted to be engaged by the forward spiral` lace of said fla-nge for withdrawing the plunger blocks from the said structure throughout thesaid low place in the spiral -formation of said flange. and guides upon the casing in which the plunger blocks are free to move in aline approximately pan allel with the axis of rotation of the cam cylinder. Y

ln testimony Whereoi alix my signature.

MILTON ROY SHEEN. 

